In the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), standardization organizations of a mobile communication system are formulating specifications of EPS (Evolved Packet System) described in NPL 1 as a next-generation mobile communication system, and are studying an apparatus in the EPS, namely, HeNB (Home eNodeB: Home Base Station) as a compact base station that is installed at home.
In the HeNB, a small-scale wireless cell called femtocell is constructed, and a UE (User Equipment: mobile terminal apparatus) is included using the same radio access technique as that of a standard base station. The HeNB is then connected to a core network of a mobile communication system via broadband line, and relays communication data of the included UE.
NPL 2 listed below discloses an architecture candidate to implement a Local IP Access through the HeNB. The Local IP Access refers to a function to provide direct connectivity to a network such as a home IP network (hereinafter referred to as a “home network”) to which the HeNB is directly connected. The UE is thus able to communicate with another information terminal (such as a digital video recorder or a printer) connected to the home network without being via the core network of the mobile communication system.
On the other hand, in the EPS, MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) specifications have been formulated as a method of providing multicast service to the UE via the core network (for example, reference is made to NPL 3).
In MBMS, BM-SC (Broadcast-Multicast Service Centre) and MBMS-GW are installed in the core network of the mobile communication system, and the UE is able to receive multicast data when BM-SC, MBMS-GW, and a base station establish a delivery path of multicast data.
Also available is a service discovery protocol, employing multicast of UPnP (Universal Plug and Play), as a method of automatically finding services (such as a “print service” provided by a printer device) which apparatuses in a Local Area Network (LAN) such as a home network mutually provide to each other (for example, reference is made to NPL 4).
In terms of user convenience, a function implemented at UPnP is preferably available on the UE connected via a Local IP Access. Although NPL 2 describes a request condition on the use of multicast service through the Local IP Access, but fails to describe specific implementation means of the function. The function cannot be implemented.